1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a game and more particularly to a four hand checkboard game which provides increased challenge and complexity which demands a higher degree of competence and skill to thereby maintain the interest of the players.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One of the oldest games is the game of checkers. As is well known, the game is placed on a playing field of checkboard arrangement with eight rows and eight columns of individual playing squares. Two sets of checkers with each set having twelve individual checker pieces, are placed on the checkerboard in order to play. The checkers are initially arranged to occupy three rows on opposing sides of the playing field leaving the center two rows free for movement of the checker pieces.
Numerous variations of the basic checker game are also well known in the art. One such variation is to provide a four handed checkboard game which can be utilized with four or less players. In utilizing such four handed checkboard game, it is evident that four sets of checkers must be placed on the playing field. As a result, additional room must be provided for the additional sets of pieces.
In order to accommodate the additional checkers by making additional room, the first approach would be to expand the rows and columns of the checkerboard and make the entire playing field larger. However, in so doing, the typical three row checker arrangement for initial starting of the game would no longer be practical. By making the rows and columns longer the twelve checkers could then fit within two, or even one row or column and this would no longer provide the usual checkerboard game style and challenge. To solve this problem, most four hand checkerboard games provide a basic central playing field and extend a rectangular area, in a tabular fashion, for each of the four sides. The checkers are initially placed on these extend rectangular areas and then moved onto the central playing field. One such typical arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,555,937. In that patent, there is provided a checkerboard playing field having a square central area with an individual rectangular area extending from each of the sides of the central playing field on which the checker pieces are initially placed at commencement of the game.
Although the particular shape and size of the playing field may vary, this approach has been uniformly accepted for any four hand checkerboard. For example U.S. Pat. No. 694,509 similarly provides a central playing field with individual oblong fields extending from each edge of the central playing field in order to accommodate the three rows of checkers at commencement of the game.
While the aforementioned patents utilize the basic rules of checkers, other variations of the game are provided which modify the rules and modify the gameboard. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 386,007 provides a checkerboard playing field with extensions protruding from a central portion wherein opposing extensions are offset from each other. However, this patent does not provide the general checkboard game rules nor does it provide a uniform checkboard arrangement on the playing field. Instead, it modifies the game wherein the checkers seek a central goal area on the playing field and the arrangement of the checkerboard pattern is modified to provide the central goal area on the playing field.
However, it is evident that those prior art games providing four hand checkers utilizing the standard regulation checker game rules consistently provide an even number of rows and columns. Only where the basic checker game is modified and the checkerboard must accordingly also be modified to provide an unusual type of game movement is there provided an odd number of rows and columns. However, wherever the regulation checker game is being utilized an even number is always provided.